An articulated machine generally refers to a combination of two or more machines that include at least a towing machine and a towed machine. One example of an articulated machine may be found in, among other industries, the agricultural equipment industry, such as a combine harvester that tows another vehicle, such as a baler. Combine harvesters (or herein also referred to as merely a combine) harvest crop and then unload the harvested crop, such as grain, from storage bins residing on the combine harvester to the bed of a receiving vehicle, such as a truck bed. A common mechanism for performing this function is by way of an auger tube of a combine unloading auger discharging the grain from the storage bins through the auger tube. Combines also comprise a spreader/chopper discharge assembly located toward the rear of the combine for the discharge of crop material in the form of crop residue. A towed implement, such as a baler, may comprise a pickup assembly (or other apparatus to receive the crop directly through the air or via the ground) and form the accumulated crop residue into bales.
When a combine tows a large implement (e.g., collectively, an articulated machine), such as a large square baler, grain cart, or cob collector, it may be difficult for an operator of the combine to observe or otherwise know of the position of the implement due to poor rearward visibility of the combine. Further, it is difficult to know the proximity of the towed implement in relationship to the combine unloading auger and spreader/chopper discharge assembly. Without knowing the position of the implement, contact may occur between the combine unloading auger and the implement, potentially causing significant damage to either or both machines. It is also important to know the position of the implement if the operator attempts to deliver crop from the combine to the implement such as grain or material other than grain.